Technology, process, or message - which one should come first? #OOW15

I am out at Oracle Open World for a couple of days this week and have been reminded (in a good way) of just how massive both this event is and the breadth and depth of the technologies and applications that fall under the Oracle banner. This event is really more like 10 events in one, with all the various technologies and application domains, (sales, marketing, finance, HCM, etc.), all having their own segments, content, and dedicated demonstration areas. It is just a huge event.

One interesting nugget from my first day out at Open World was an observation that was made in a session I attended called 'Connect Sourcing, Recruiting, and Onboarding for Better Not Just More Candidates', that was given by Ann Blakely and Jim Fox from the consulting/advisory firm BakerTilly. It was a solid session with many smart and practical steps that organizations can take to better design, optimize and rationalize the steps in a classic talent acquisition process flow.

But to me the most interesting aspect of the talk was the way that the typical 'People/Process/Technology' relationship was described. Typically, and in most of the 3,490 times I have seen someone discuss the concept, the importance of aligning each element (people, process, and technology), and making sure that each one individually is given adequate attention and resources, each one is treated more or less equally. In a nutshell, people, process, and technology are all kind of viewed as the same, or equal elements or sides in some kind of HR tech equilateral triangle. 

Which is cool, or at least better than the classic mistake of leading with technology or becoming a slave to pre-existing (and often inefficient) processes at the expense of the other elements. Usually no one seems to make the 'mistake' of placing too much value or emphasis on the people side of the triangle, which is both odd and illustrative I guess.

But to get back to the presentation yesterday which was fully in the context of improving the overall talent acqusition function, the speakers looked at the 'people' side of the classic 'People/Process/Technology' triangle and instead referred to it as 'Message.' But more importantly than just the semantic change, the speakers emphasized that in talent acquisition the 'message' itself - the Employer Value Proposition, the brand values, the ways in which the company wants to portray and position itself in the talent market, all of these things, that the message should more of less define the processes and then lead you to finding and deploying the right technology.

It was more or less, a call to lead with 'people' as opposed to lead with one of other sides of the triangle, (which we know never really works out), or even to treat them all at least conceptually equally. Figure out the message, essentially who you are, what you stand for, what you truly believe are the core values that will make you an attractive employer, and build everything else out and up from there.

It was a cool idea, and one that for me, I know I have not heard advocated much in the past, maybe not at all.

Let the 'people' and the message drive how you design the processes and how/where/what technology will be leveraged to support it all. I am coming to think more and more that HR tech and tools that put 'people' first will be the ones that win in the long run....

Like I said, a really cool idea shared in one small room of a massive event.

Have a great Wednesday!

What is your one wish for your ideal HR technology solution that you’d love to see created by 2020? #nextchat #HRTechConf

I had a great time guesting and participating on yesterday's #Nextchat Twitter chat that is put together each seek by the fantastic Mary Kaylor over at SHRM. Mary and the SHRM team have done an amazing job building a active, engaged, and large community of people with #Nextchat, and it is always fun to get to dive in with them.

If you missed the chat, there is an excellent summary of the conversation here. One point I thought it was worth teasing out, and particularly since the HR Technology Conference is starting in about 2 days, was the chat's final question, presented below:

What is your one wish for your ideal HR technology solution that you’d love to see created by 2020? #nextchat

The idea of this question was to try and get participants thinking about what tools or technologies would really help them get their jobs done more efficiently, enable them to unlock the potential of their workforces, better engage and retain their best people, or somehow just make HR and the organization 'better.'

It was a fun and speculative way to end what was a really interesting overall discussion about HR technology today.

Since I liked the question so much, (I did come up with it), and since HR Tech starts on Sunday and more than 300 HR technology solution providers will be exhibiting and they are the 'right' people to see the community response to a question like this, I am putting out the question one more time.

What is your one wish for your ideal HR technology solution that you’d love to see created by 2020? #nextchat #HRTechConf

I added the #HRTechConf Twitter hashtag to the question, (and to the blog post title above), since I know just about everyone involved in the Conference seems to be on the Twitter tag already.

I would love to see more folks chime in on the question in the run up to the Conference and even have some of our HR Tech Conference exhibiting companies jump in to the conversation as well. You can post your responses on Twitter or in the comments of this post.

It could be that the 'dream' HR technology you want to see by 2020 already exists, and there is a solution provider at HR Tech ready to show you.

Thanks again to Mary and the folks at #Nextchat. 

Hope to see lots of readers out at HR Tech!

Note for readers: I am heading out the Conference tomorrow, so posting will be extremely light, if non-existent for the next week. You will be fine.

#Nextchat with me today: The next 5 years in HR Tech - #HRTechConf

Remember just a few years ago when we started to see a flurry of articles, presentations, and even books about the topic of “Workforce 2020” that offered predictions about what work and workplaces would be like at the then far-off-into-the-future year of 2020?

I am not sure why authors and consultancies fixated so much on the year 2020. Maybe it just sounds fun to say out loud and it also had the benefit of seeming so distant that you could plausibly predict just about anything short of we’d all be commuting to work in flying cars and you’d probably get away with it.

Let me see if that still holds today -- here is a 2020 prediction for you:

“In 2020, organizations will have access to powerful technologies that automate every HR and talent management process, can apply sophisticated machine learning capability to predict workforce events like attrition and job-fit, and since these technologies are all delivered via THE CLOUD, they will be accessible and affordable for every organization, regardless of their size.”

Wow, amazing!  And what is more amazing is that all of those things exist TODAY, and we don’t have to wait until 2020 for them. Which is a really good thing because I am not sure if you have noticed, but 2020 is really not that far off anyway. We have spent so much time thinking and talking about 2020 as some vague signpost in the far distance that it has just about snuck up on us.

But the good thing is that since 2020 really isn’t all that far off, we can offer better, more reasoned, and more valuable predictions about what it truly will be like, and we can start making more concrete and specific plans for how in the next five or so years, leading up to 2020, our HR teams and our organizations can best utilize technology to improve work, workplaces, and drive organizational success.

Please join  @shrmnextchat at 3 p.m. ET on October 14 (TODAY) for #Nextchat with special guest, ME, the HR Technology Conference Co-Chariman and Co-Host of the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve Boese (@steveboese).  We’ll take a look at the next five years of HR technology  and chat about what HR leaders should be thinking about -- and preparing for -- with respect to workplace technology in 2020.

Here are the questions we will hit on the chat today:

Q1. What are the key considerations for HR leaders as they begin to plan their HR tech strategies for the next 5 years?

Q2. What are some ways to tie the HR technology strategy to the organization’s long term business and talent strategies?

Q3. How will changing employee demographics and their expectations for technology change how HR leaders deploy technology in the next 5 years?

Q4. What area of Human Resources (Recruiting, Performance, HR Admin, etc.) will technology have the largest impact upon in the next 5 years?

Q5. How does the increased reliance on technology to enable HR service delivery change the role and competencies required of the modern HR leader?

Q6. What should HR leaders look for when evaluating HR technology solution providers over the next 5 years?

Q7.    What is your one wish for your ideal HR technology solution that you’d love to see created by 2020? #nextchat

#Nextchat is the only Twitter chat I regularly participate in, and I encourage all of you to jump in to the conversation today from 3PM - 4PM EDT.

Thanks to my friends at SHRM for having me back to chat about HR Tech!

My Top 10 Tips for HR Tech Conference Attendees #HRTechConf

NOTE: This is a (slightly) updated version of my Top 10 Tips for HR Tech Conference Attendees that I ran last year just before the Conference. Reading it over, I was not surprised how just about all my advice from last year still applies. I am clever that way. Plus, I have the inside scoop. Hope to see lots of readers at the event.

And by the way, you can still register for HR Tech 2015 with Promo Code LINK15 and save an additional $150.00 on top of the $50.00 PreShow rate discount – That’s $200.00 in savings when you register by Midnight EDT Thursday Oct. 15 at www.hrtechconference.com 

It's now a little more than one week until what is in my completely biased view as the Conference Co-Chair the best annual event for HR professionals, the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. If you are coming out to the event next week, and I hope lots of readers are, I wanted to serve up my slightly better informed view of than most have and give you my list of the Top 10 Tips for getting the most out of your HR Tech Conference experience.

So here goes, (in no particular order, save this is how they came to me in a semi-coherent state late last night).

1. Take advantage of the Conference's 'Welcome' day activities on Sunday, October 18

Building upon what was a really popular and well-received idea from last year, once again at HR Tech, we will have several pre-conference educational sessions (offered at no extra charge for full conference attendees). These pre-conference sessions kick off at 1:15PM on Sunday with 'Workplace, Wearables, and Workout Wednesday' sponsored by FitBit, and then continue with three more pre-con sessions (from Ceridian, Salesforce, and IBM) at 2:30PM. These pre-con sessions are a great opportunity to jump-start your learning and kick off the Conference experience.

Then in what is a first for HR Tech, we will have our popular "Awesome New Startups for HR" demonstration General Session also on the Conference's opening day, starting at 3:45PM. We have a fantastic set of HR Tech startups this year and you will not want to miss this interactive and dynamic General Session.

And immediately after that, our Opening Reception (with drinks and appetizers) kicks off in the sold-out Expo Hall, (which will too be Open and with the Exhibitors ready and eager to meet you. All in all, the opening day and night of HR Tech should be fantastic and I encourage all attendees to take advantage of these opportunities.

2. Don't go overboard on Sunday night once you leave the Opening Reception

HR Tech is closer to a marathon than a sprint. I suppose it is more like a 10K or maybe even a half marathon. Either way, you jump out of the starting line all full of energy and adrenalin and excitement, but after a couple of miles of running at a pace you know you are not ready to sustain you are definitely going to hit the wall. And it might get ugly. In fact, seeing as it is Vegas, it almost certainly will get ugly. My point is you want to build slowly. And most of the really big, fun, over the top night time social events are on Monday night the 19th and Tuesday the 20th anyway. So have fun on Sunday night, but just remember you are not as young as you used to be. Leave something in the tank for the middle and end of the race.

3. Give something back

This year at HR Tech we are proud and excited to offer attendees the opportunity to 'work' for a good cause while also having some fun. HR Gives Back is working to raise funds towards finding a cure for Parkinson's, which is a cause near and dear to the hearts of many in the HR Tech community. At the Conference, and in partnership with FitBit, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in challenges and activity tracking in order to help raise funds for this great cause. Look for signage and information about these efforts at the Conference, and in the interim check out HRGivesBack.net for more information.

4. Plan out your schedule, but be flexible too, and leave some time to explore

Once again the agenda this year is packed and we have a record number of tracks and concurrent sessions. In most of the concurrent session time slots, there are as many as 10 sessions running at the same time. So you are going to want to spend some time in advance thinking about which sessions you'd like to attend, and even make a backup selection (or two) just in case we have to play nice with the Fire Marshal and cap off attendance in any given session. But also be sure to leave some room in your day to linger a little longer in the Expo Hall or take in one of the vendor demo sessions that will be running on Monday or Tuesday. Or even just to have some time to chat with some of the new friends you have made, (more on that to come). My point is this, it is a Conference, not a synchronized swimming contest - you don't have to know every step you are going to take in advance. 

5. Don't travel (all the time) in the same pack

If you are attending the Conference with some of your co-workers, (which is great), make sure to not spend all of your time traveling in tandem. Split up and cover some different sessions, make sure to engage with other folks during general sessions and meals, and maybe even (horror), hit some different parties after hours. You want to make sure you are not just seeing and interpreting things through the same lens that you use back in the office, sometimes breaking away from your co-workers, even for a little while, can help you to do this. Besides, you have the other 361 days of the year to spend with these people, and they are probably sick of you too.

6. Say 'Hi' to me, or rather, anyone that you really want to meet and connect with

Of course I want to meet as many people as I can, but you do too. And chances are you might want to meet and chat with one of our amazing speakers or one of our industry experts that will be leading panels and sessions throughout the event. So make sure you do! All of these execs and leaders are extremely approachable and generous with their time and their insight. So if there is someone, anyone, you want to meet, then don't let a long line of people stop you from doing just that. One of the best aspects of the HR Tech community is how much everyone wants to help, especially HR leaders that are interested in how HR technology can help them and their organizations move forward. 

7. Take a rest somewhere in the middle of the run

Ok, much like I am ready to take a breather half way into this post, (at about the 1000 word mark and counting), at some point during HR Tech you will want/need to take a little time to recharge. This could mean ducking out a little early from one of the parties, taking a power nap back up in your room after the last session of the day and before heading out for the evening, or it could be as simple as passing on that third dessert from the buffet. All I am saying is you probably can't go full speed all day and night in Las Vegas for too long and come out feeling good on the other side. Find a spot to get some rest, maybe hit the spa or the pool, (it will be pretty hot), and get ready for the last part of the run.

8. It is ok to talk to the vendors in the Expo Hall. Even ones you have never heard about.

I know for attendees the overwhelming tendency of Expo visit time is spent walking from place to place, checking out the vendors you are familiar with and/or interested in learning more about, and maybe entering a contest or two. And while you can easily spend hours talking with vendors and people you know, or maybe are currently using in your organization, I really recommend spending some Expo time checking out and actually learning about at least a few vendors that you have never heard about before. Now I don't want to name specific names, (because there are just too many and I will get in trouble as I would have to leave some out), but you know who you don't know, (if that makes sense), and I can assure you there are dozens of amazing solutions just waiting to be discovered. And don't miss our Startup Pavilion, where a record 30 HR Tech startups will be exhibiting in one area. If you are not sure who to check out, send out a Tweet on the#HRTechConf hashtag and just ask. Not using Twitter? Well that is a problem we will have to solve another day.

9. The General Sessions are big and crowded and long. Go to them anyway.

Yes the General Session rooms are massive. And crowded. And by the time you get there lots of the good seats are taken. But you still should attend them anyway. We have the industry famous 'Awesome New Technology' showcase for the more established HR solution providers on Tuesday morning and we will follow that up with the demonstrations from the first-ever HR Tech Hackathon on Tuesday afternoon. Both of these General Sessions are the kinds that audiences at HR Tech love - a chance to see up close and personal the best in HR tech. You definitely want to be blown away by the latest and greatest innovations in HR technology in the 'Awesome New' session and in the Hackathon. These General Sessions bring the entire community together and you simply have to be a part of that.

10. Don't skip Wednesday.

Assuming you made your travel plans accordingly and are still going to be in Las Vegas on the final morning of the event, you want to make sure you drag your tired, sorry self out of bed to make it down for the last half day of the Conference. We have a fantastic closing day keynote from Jim Whitehurst, President & CEO of RedHat. And in a first for HR Tech we have a great 'Ideas and Innovators' session planned, where 10 HR and HR Tech rock stars will speak using the fast-paced and popular 'Ignite' format. This session will include great people like Mike Psenka, Eric Winegardner, Trish McFarlane, Yvette Cameron, Kris Dunn and many more. Trust me you will not want to miss this, it is the closest thing to a live sporting event or a piece of performance art that you will ever see at a conference.

And in true Spinal Tap fashion, here is an 11th tip...

11. And this is the most important one - Connect with as many people as you can.

This is kind of a boring tip since everyone who gives advice about these kinds of things always includes something like this. But just because everyone tells you to do this, doesn't mean it is bad advice. The truth is the most enduring value anyone (even me) gets from HR Tech or any large event comes from the people you meet, the relationships you build, and the connections you forge. Your next customer, next vendor partner, next boss, next employee, or maybe your next new best friend just might be at HR Tech next week too. But you have to take some initiative to connect. And for some folks, (again me too), that is not always the easiest or most natural thing to do. But you should try anyone. Even if you set a simple goal of connecting with even one or two new people each day at the Conference it will be worth the effort. And if you are finding that to be too hard, then find me and say 'Hi'. I am easy to spot, as I will be the best-dressed guy at the Conference. Ask anyone.

Ok, that is it, I am out. I also want to thank regular blog readers who might have gotten a little tired of all the HR Tech Conference content on the blog lately.  Next week there may not be much new here (probably) while I am doing final prep and heading out to the event, but I will get us back to the regularly scheduled nonsense after that.

Have a great weekend!

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour 221 - HR Gives Back

HR Happy Hour 221 - HR Gives Back

Recorded LIVE at ADP Analyst Day, Friday September 25, 2015

Hosts: Trish McFarlane, Steve Boese

Guest: Mollie Lombardi

LISTEN HERE

Hosts Trish McFarlane and Steve Boese recorded this episode LIVE at the ADP Analyst Day in New York City. They were thrilled to have Mollie Lombardi as their guest to talk about her project....HR Gives Back.  HR Gives Back to a Future without Parkinson’s is an idea started by Mollie Lombardi, Mike Pauletich, Teresa Thieme and Jeanne Achille. It is a way to help raise money and awareness for the fight against Parkinson's Disease.  It will live on as a way for HR to give back to other charitable organizations in the future. 

This year Mollie and her friend Mike are competing in a fundraising effort leading up to the HR Technology Conference October 18- 21 in Las Vegas.  There are some fun ways to get involved in raising money and awareness and we encourage you to learn more at www.hrgivesback.net.  

October 21, 2015 marks the day that famous DeLorean landed in the future. It also marks the last day of the 18th annual HR Technology Conference and Expo. What better time to help HR give “Back to a Future” without Parkinson’s than a fundraiser supporting The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF).  Join members of the HR technology community in a virtual marathon October 1-21, raising funds and running or walking 26.2 miles over 21 days to support the cause, and at the HR Technology Conference Oct. 18-21 for an onsite challenge sponsored by FitBit.

You can listen to the show on the show page here, or using the widget player below:

Check Out Business Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Steve Boese Trish McFarlane on BlogTalkRadio

Join us for a lively show about this outstanding event as well as an update on ADP and a little flash back to the 80's at the beginning!

And remember you can subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show on iTunes or using your favorite podcast app - just search for 'HR Happy Hour' to add the show to your favorites and you will never miss a show.